Weeds

Our backyard is severely neglected. We never did anything with it after the house was built. There was no grass. We had talked about having it leveled since it slopes toward the house. 2 summers ago Mr X even began to build a garden area around the shed.
Since then we've simply let it go until the woods we live next to began to take it over.
The garden consists of 2 levels, both now covered in weeds so strong they have turned into trees.
Yesterday it hit me.

I have to clear that mess out. I need to remove every last trace of those weeds. Our neglect.

So I began.

Ripping them out was not going to be enough. Their roots ran too deep and some of the trunks were too thick.

I took Mr X's two-handed clippers and cut them down. I began digging out the deep, thick roots. I pulled and ripped and threw the efforts of my labor in a pile below the first garden level.
After an hour, I had barely cleared a foot deep into the first level.
My back ached and my hands felt weak. I was sweaty and I knew my face was red. My arms were scratched up from where the branches caught me. There was a streak of dirt across my forehead and I had destroyed my old sneakers.
All I could think was that there was so much left to do. My arms and hands shook for an hour after I was finished.

Today, my shoulder aches and my neck is stiff.

And I'm scared.

The weeds wait. I don't know what I'll do when it's all clear.